Car-coupling attachment



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

f S. 11' SMITH.- 7

CAR COUPLING ATTACHMENT. No. 374,714. f Patented Dec. 13,, 1887.

WITNESSES F Mg INVENTOR ATTSRN YS.

N, PETERS. Phnwmm n nnr, Washinglun. v.1:

Jzmz

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. D. SMITH. CAR COUPLING ATTACHMENT.

No. 374,714. Patented Deo. 13,'1887.

20. 2d 1- 7} f a 17 1% V; I v 17- j VZZ j! Z2 WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

BY p a; v H g V g ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Fhoiokhhuflflylwr, walhingion, DI C.

N ITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAR-COUPLING ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,714, dated December13, 1887.

Application filed May 16, 1887. Serial No. 238,392. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN D. SMITH, of

Spotswood, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and Improved Gar-Coupling Attachment, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description. p This inventionrelates to an attachment whereby cars provided with what is technicallytermed three-link coupling may be coupled without requiring thetrain-men to enter the space between the'approaching ends of the cars tobe coupled; and to the end named the invention consists of a foldingframe, a lever carried by said frame, and a nose pivotally mountedwithin the frame and arranged to support the free end ofthe outercouplinglink and to be held in position by the lever, all as will behereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side view of a portion of two cars, representing one ofsaid cars as it appears when provided with my improved couplingattachment, the parts being represented as they appear just after thecars have been moved toa position to bring the coupling-link above thedraw-hook of the adjacent car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of twocars, one of which is provided with my improved coupling, the cars beingrepresented as they appear .just prior to the time they reach thecoupling position; and Fig. 3 is a side View in partial section,representing the parts as they appear after the coupling of the cars hasbeen brought about.

In the drawings above referred to, 10 and 11 represent the draw-hooksand 12 the coupling-chain of that class of coupling to which myinvention is applicable. Above the drawhook 10 I mount a case, 13, inwhich there is hinged a folding arm, 14, connection between the arm andthe case being established by a hinge, 15. v

The end of the arm 14 is slotted, and in the slot so formed there ispivotally mounted a double-ended nose, 16, said nose being formed withrecesses 17 at diagonally-opposed corners. In connection with this nosethere is pivotally connected to the arm 14 a lever, 18, the forward endof which is somewhat enlarged and formed with a central recess, 19, asheathnected to the arm. This lever 18 is provided with a foldinghandle, 22, said handle being connected to the main body of the lever bya hinge, 23. folded back to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3,and then the arm 14 and the parts carried thereby may be turned up so asto rest within the case .13, any proper retaining attachment beingemployed to support the parts in this position. \Vhen, however, it isdesired to couple cars by means of the attachment, the arm is turneddown to the position in. which it is shown in the drawings, and the freeend link 2 of the chain 12 is placed upon the nose 16, the link at thistime resting within one of the recesses 17, the lever 18 being turned sothat-one of the spurs or projections at either side of the recess 19willbear against the upper face of the inner end of the nose, the leverand its handle extending diagonally outward toward the corner of the carwithin reach of the train-men. Then, as the cars come to the position inwhich they are shown in Fig. 1, the train-men will move the lever inwardin the direction of the arrow shown in connection therewith in Fig. 2,thus throwing thespur of the lever from engagement with the nose 16,immediately after which the weight of the chain will tilt the nose tothe position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 and the link 2 will dropinto engagement with the hook 11, the inner end of thenose passing upthrough the recess or aperture 19 of the lever 18.

From the construction described 'it will be seen that the coupling ofthe cars may be brought about'from either side of the train, and thatall necessity of enteringv the space between the cars is avoided.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a coupling attachment, the combina tion,with a supporting-arm, ofa nose pivotally mounted therein, and anose-tripping mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a coupling attachment, the combina- When not in use, thehandle 22is tion, with a supporting-arm, of a nose pivotally connected thereto,and a lever formed with a. recessed end, said lever being pivotallyconnected to the supporting-arm and arranged to engage with thenose,snbstantia1ly as de scribed.

3. In a coupling attachment, the combina tion, with a supporting-arm, ofa. nose, 16, formed with a recess, 17, and pivot-ally connected to thearm, a lever, 18, formed with a I recess, 19, and arranged to engagewith the nose 16, and a sheathing, 20, substantially as described.

4. In a coupling attachment, the combination, with a case, 13, of anarm, 14, hinged 15 thereto, a lever, 18, formed with a recess, 19, andpivotally connected to the arm 14, a bandle, 22, hinged to the lever,and a nose, 16, formed with recesses 17 and pivotally mounted within a.slot formed in the extending end of 20 the arm 14, all substantially asdescribed.

STEPHEN, D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDWARD KENT, J r., C. SEDGWICK.

